Police encounter with Brimfield Police Department at Walmart: I just had an encounter with the Brimfield Police Department at Walmart while open carrying my Springfield 45. I was doing my shopping and they came up behind me. They asked if I had any ID. I told him that I did not consent to giving them id that I was just trying to do some grocery shopping and be on my way. They said they had got a call on me but that the call made it sound like I was holding the gun walking around the store. I told them they could see that that was not the case. The female officer, who was extremely nice, said that she could clearly see that it was open and I was doing nothing wrong. She still said she needed to see my ID that it was the Brimfield Police Department policy to ID anyone they had contact with. I told her that that could not be the case. That unless I was suspected of committing a crime and they could tell me what crime I was suspected of committing that I would not consent to give them my ID. She then said that she was supposed to get it with every encounter and would I mind giving it to her and then they would be on their way. I gave her one of my Ohio carry business cards and we talked about Ohio Carry for a while. She then asked again if there was anyway I could turn over my ID. I told her that I usually would not turn over ID, and that I know that I am not required to, but that in this case since they were so sincere and cordial, that I would turn over my ID under one circumstance. My one circumstance was that I got their information, and I would call the police chief tomorrow and clear up the confusion on this policy since Ohio is not a stop and ID state. Before I take heat on this, you all know that normally I do not turn over ID. In this case though the officers were really awesome and nice, and actually just sat there and talked to me about guns for a while. So I did decide that I would help them out turn over my ID and clear up the policy tomorrow. They really appreciated that. I told them I lived in Kent, and Kent is to the point now of if they get a call they ask the complaint and what the person is doing. If the person has it holstered and is just walking around, they do not even respond anymore. And while they were running the ID, we sat and talked about all the places we shoot. They were awesome, took some cards and said they would check the site out. I have no problems with the officers, but I do have a problem with the supposed policy of stop and ID. I will be calling the Brimfield police chief tomorrow to clear up this policy. Maybe I will make it to his Facebook page LOL! Brett
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 15:01:21 +0000